Black Bean Soup With Cumin and Coriander

This was printed in the Montreal Gazette and can be found in Deborah Madison's Vegetable Soups. I think I'll try it some time soon.

• Ready In: 50 mins
• Yields: 8 cups

Ingredients

• 3  tablespoons olive oil or 3  tablespoons  sunflower oil
• 1  large onion, chopped
• 2  small carrots, chopped
• 3  celery ribs, chopped
• 1  green bell pepper, chopped
• 3  garlic cloves, minced
• 1  bunch fresh coriander, leaves and stems chopped separately
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1 -2  teaspoon cumin
• 1  teaspoon paprika (Spanish smoked paprika being preferred in this recipe)
• 2  bay leaves
• 1⁄4 teaspoon cayenne
• 1  cup water
• 2 (19 ounce) cans black beans, draind
• 1⁄2 cup sour cream
• 1⁄2 lime, juice of

Directions

1. Heat oil in medium heavy frying pan over medium high heat and cook onion, carrots, celery, green pepper, garlic, and coriander stems until onion begins to soften.
2. Season with salt, cumin, parika, bay leaves, and cayenne. Lower heat and cook ten minutes more, stirring occasionally and taking care paprika and cayenne do not burn.
3. Add water and continue to cook until onion is soft, about eight minutes. Stir in beans and all but 3 tablespoons of the chopped coriander leaves and heat, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes.
4. In a cup, combine sour cream, lime juice, and remaining chopped coriander leaves.
5. Serve soup hot in heated bowls, topping each serving with sour cream mixture.